BOONE, Iowa — Jason Kohl and Mike Smith won the qualifying features and front row starting spots that come with them while Keith Burg was the show Tuesday night at Boone Speedway.
Kohl’s win in the first Hobby Stock qualifier puts him at the front of the middle row in Saturday’s main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Two-time and defending champion Smith topped the nightcap and will start on the front of the outside row.
After his father and pole starter Andrew was the first car out of the first qualifier, Burg was a man on a mission, racing from 30th — dead last — all the way up to second with just three laps left.
Kohl, who had inherited the lead around midway after Adam Streeter exited with a flat tire, had his hands full staying in front following a late restart.
Burg was ahead coming out of turn two on the white flag lap but Kohl found a little extra speed and got to the checkers first, but just.
“I didn’t want that last yellow for sure,” Kohl said. “We had a pretty good run, I had seen the white flag and I was pretty happy. Once that yellow came out I knew he would be coming hard.”
Also advancing to the middle row were top eight runners Jimmy Doescher, Brandon Bombardo, Cody Williams, Corey VanDerwilt, Dillon Richards and Tom Killen Jr.
Smith chased Calvin Dhondt the first 14 laps, finally making the move to the front on the inside line.
“I didn’t know how to get around Calvin and those restarts were scaring me,” said Smith, running second behind the first three cautions of the night and dodging debris in the form of a hood while leading after one of two yellows on lap 24. “Those guys on the bottom were getting good restarts.”
“Saturday is the hardest,” he’d add. “You’ve got all the fastest guys in the whole world up front. We’ll give it all we’ve got and see what happens.”
Joining Smith and Dhondt on the outside row will be Bradly Graham, Justin Frederick, race of champions winner Cory Probst, 28thstarting Colin Hein, Matt McDonald and Evan Schettler.
A last-chance feature on Wednesday completes the main event field of 30 cars. A Super Nationals record 168 Hobby Stocks vied for spots on that grid.
SPEED SPORT affiliate IMCA.tv broadcasts each night of the 42nd annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
First Qualifying Result
Jason Kohl, Keith Burg, Jimmy Doescher, Brandon Bombardo, Cody Williams, Corey VanDerwilt, Dillon Richards, Tom Killen Jr., Payce Herrera, Les Lundquist, Shane Richardson, Adam Streeter, Chad Volk, Drew Barglof, Tyson Grinstead, Riley Kort, Josh Vancannon, Dillon Thompson, Briar Kriegel, Matt Rezac, Josh Sidles, Kyler Satran, Austin Jahnz, Jeremy Kinsey, Michael Swenson, John Ross, Brayden Hilzer, Mark Neis, Parker Anderson, Andrew Burg.
Second Qualifying Result
Mike Smith, Calvin Dhondt, Bradly Graham, Justin Frederick, Cory Probst, Colin Hein, Matt McDonald, Evan Schettler, John Watson, David Carter, Tyson Overton, Tyler Ball, Scott Siems, Joe Wollenhaupt, Sam West, Zach McNeese, Stephen Doss, Joey Young, Dylan Bell, John Thomas, Colby Christensen, Jordan Troutman, Aron Fye, Brennor Grinstead, Carter Davis, Brian Ashburn, Dustin Filloon, Kalyb Brunssen, Skylar Pruitt, Will Smith.